The present disclosure relates to mobile device access control, and more specifically, to controlling access to a mobile device and applications on the mobile device with a paired device.
The proliferation of smart phones and tablets is changing the way employees want to work. As a result, companies around the world are facing a growing number of requests from employees that want to use their personal mobile devices to access enterprise data, key applications, corporate email, and calendars that they need to do their jobs. Many companies have embraced a bring your own device (BYOD) model which has created a scenario where employees use their personal mobile devices for dual purposes, both personal and business. Many companies that provide mobile device to their employees and companies that follow a BYOD mode, provide mobile device security policies that employees are directed to follow. These policies are designed to ensure the security of sensitive company information on the mobile devices.
For example, in order to access company data, such as specific applications, corporate email, or calendar on a mobile device, a company may require employees to install specific security applications, or enable specific security features, on the mobile device. Such security applications or features often require passwords to simply unlock the mobile device and additional password may be required to launch selected applications. While this kind of security can protect the company's data access on the mobile device, at the same time it is often an inconvenience for the user to enter passwords to complete daily activities on their mobile device, such as making a phone call, texting family and friends or using personal applications.